Iowa Music Unit

Antonin Dvorak

Life• Lived from 1841-1904• Originally from Czechoslovakia (called

Bohemia when he was there)• Parents ran a butcher shop• Moved to Spillville, IA http://www.mapquest.com/maps?state=IA

• Moved to New York in 1892 and earned $15,000 (today it is worth about $355,000)• Returned to Czechoslovakia in 1895

Music• 1st song he wrote was a polka; was

a complete failure• Eventually became the greatest

composer of his time• Nationalistic composer

- Wrote music about his country and folk music

• “From the New World Symphony”- 1 section- Goin’ Home (Largo movement) - http://youtu.be/2g8p3JLSzsA

Music continued

• Used Folk music of America- African American- Native American

• Slavonic Dances- based on Folk songs from Czechoslovakia

Karl King

Life

• Lived from 1891-1971• Born in Ohio• When 11 yrs. old– Taught himself to play the cornet (he

later played in the Canton Marine Band)– Began composing

Music

• 1st composition was published when he was 17 yrs. old

• Composed over 300 pieces of music• Wrote mostly Marches and Circus

Music• 1909 played for a circus band• When 21 yrs. old, he wrote “Barnum

and Bailey’s Favorite” (his most famous march) http://youtu.be/TUy9mkOd2Us

Music continued• In 1917 he married Ruth Lovett– She joined him in the circus band- he

was bandmaster and she played the calliope

• In 1920 they moved to Fort Dodge, IAhttp://www.mapquest.com/maps?state=IA

– He was bandmaster of the Municipal Band for 51 years

– He ran a music publishing company– Ruth sold musical instruments

Song titles

• “Hawkeye Glory” for the University of Iowa

• “Hawkeye Fair” for the Iowa State Fair

• “Trombone King” http://youtu.be/NAjN6_tIfDE

• “In Old Portugal”

Glenn Miller

Life

• Born March 1, 1904; died Dec. 15, 1944

• Born in Clarinda, IA• In 1942, enlisted in the U.S. Army– Conductor of the U.S. Army-Air Force

Band

• On Dec. 15, 1944, his plane disappeared over the English Channel

Music

• Played the trombone• Became a bandleader and

arranger of swing music (1930’s-1940’s)

• 1 clarinet and 4 saxophones in his arrangements

• Glenn Miller Orchestra- 1937

Song Titles

• “Chatanooga Choo Choo” (Gold) http://youtu.be/kIQq1j1-AQU

• “In the Mood”- his biggest hit http://youtu.be/bR3K5uB-wMA

• “Moonlight Serenade”- theme song http://youtu.be/GCMNWBCUk8c

Everly Brothers

Life

• Don- born in 1937 (Kentucky) Phil- born in 1939 (Chicago)

• Eventually moved to Shenandoah, IA• Parents- Ike and Margaret– Folk and country music performers

• Brothers began singing with parents at 6 and 8 yrs. old– Continued to perform with parents

through High School

Music

• 1950- brothers went to Nashville• Don wrote most of the music• From 1957-1959– 6 songs on the Top 10 Country Hits– 7 songs on the Top 10 Pop Charts

• 1973- Brothers broke up as a duo– Don wrote songs; recorded solo albums– Phil wrote music; had a radio show “In

Session”

Music continued

• 1983- Got back together• Recorded “Very Best Hits” album• 1986- Inducted into the Rock and Roll

Hall of Fame• Introduced drums at the Grand Ole

Opry• Style of music- cross between Rock

and Roll and Country

Song titles

• “Keep on Lovin’ Me”- 1st single• “Bye, Bye Love”- 1st big hit- 1957– Received #1 on Country charts and #2

on Pop charts http://youtu.be/I4oBEF2-eLo

• “Wake Up Little Susie” http://youtu.be/CByPkTZtnzU

• “All I Have to Do is Dream” http://youtu.be/m24uUzJgfwQ

• “Cathy’s Clown”- #1 in 1960

Little Brown Church

History

• Bradford, IA (now part of Nashua)• “The Little Brown Church in the Vale”– Song written in 1857

• Another name is “The Church in the Wildwood” http://youtu.be/wpOeU28951g

• Song was written before the church was built– Song by Dr. William S. Pitts• Dentist and teacher of singing

History continued

• Church organized in 1855• Church built in 1864• Built by Rev. J.K. Nutting• Church modeled after the song• Church is known for weddings

Meredith Willson

Life and Music• Born and raised in Mason City• Lived from 1902-1984• Parents- John and Rosalie Willson– Siblings- Dixie and Cedric

• Meredith’s mom was originally Rosalie Reiniger; she was from Charles City– Rosalie’s dad was a Charles City judge

• His mom taught him music at 7 yrs.• After high school, he went to New York

City• Played with John Philip Sousa and New

York Philharmonic Orchestra

Music continued

• 1929 turned to conducting and composing (lyricist)

• Late 1930’s he was musical director for NBC in San Francisco

• Wrote music for movies• Received 2 Academy Award nominations• During WWII he was a Major in the U.S.

Army- Armed Forces Radio Services

Musicals/Songs

• 1957- “The Music Man” (musical)• Based on his life growing up in Mason City• “76 Trombones” http://youtu.be/ODu888i14-I

• “’Til There Was You”• “Pick-a-Little, Talk-a-Little” http://youtu.be/jbhnRuJBHLs

• “The Unsinkable Molly Brown” (musical)• “May the Good Lord Bless and Keep

You”• “It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like

Christmas” http://youtu.be/z3rJX3U9yM8

Litterer Band

Early Years

• Rock band from the 80’s and 90’s• From Charles City• Members as of 1987 (all siblings

except Brent)– Tom Litterer- bass; lead vocals– Steve Litterer- guitars; vocals– Carleen Litterer- keyboards; vocals– Brent Estlund- guitars; vocals– David Litterer- drums

Early Years continued

• Started around 1973• When group started performing together,

Carleen was 15, Tom was 17, Dave was 19, and Steve was 21

• Their mother used to yodel on local radio stations in the 40’s and 50’s

• The Litterer Band toured at some popular ballrooms in Minnesota, which put them on the map

• Worked for Litterer Window Siding company between shows

Member Changes

• Dave quit in 1993 and replaced by Dan Kelly

• Dan Kelly left in 1995 was was replaced by Jeff Reints

• Carleen and Brent left in 1995 and were replaced by Ted Smaley and Jason Herman

Band name/Songs

• Around 1982 started recording under the name “The Litterer Brothers Band”

• In 1985 changed name to “The Litterer Band” with the recording of “Rock This City” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=melwcokHHks

• In 1987 “She’s So Dangerous” http://youtu.be/p5OffQi9NiY

• “Prisoner of the Heart” http://youtu.be/H8RRkzNcVK4

• Band is no longer recording• Last show was in Waverly, IA in 1997

Slipknot

Early Years• Rock band from Des Moines formed in 1995• Shawn Crahan (drummer) and Paul Gray

(bassist) started the band and called it The Pale Ones

• Others joined and the name changed to Meld– Anders Colsefni- guitarist; vocals– Donnie Steele- guitarist; in 1996 he left the band

due to Christian beliefs– Joey Jordison- main drummer– Josh Brainard- 2nd guitarist– Corey Taylor and Jim Root are now part of

Slipknot, but originally were members of Stone Sour

Early Years continued

• Ideas for songs came from late night sessions with Gray, Crahan, and Jordison at a gas station where Jordison worked– They came up with the name Slipknot

• They were forced to self-finance their 1st recording- cost $40,000

• Late June 1998- signed a 7-album deal for $500,000

• Debut album released in 1999

Music• “Wait and Bleed”– #27 on UK Singles Chart– In 2000 won Best Single Award

• “Spit It Out” http://youtu.be/2c0Pdoldihc

– #28 on UK Singles Chart

• “The Subliminal Verses”– Charted on 8 different charts including

Billboard 200

• 2001- album “Iowa” gained popularity• As of May 2010, they have sold over 14

million records worldwide

What happened?

• On May 25, 2010, Paul Gray (one of the founders) died from an overdose.

• It took the band a year before they played in public again.

• In August 2012, they returned to Iowa for the 1st time in over 3 years.

• They performed in their own festival, Knotfest.

Stone Sour

Early Years• Rock band from Des Moines formed

in 1992– Founded by Corey Taylor (later became

lead vocalist for Slipknot) and Joel Ekman (former drummer; stayed in Des Moines and started a family)

– Shawn Economaki- bassist

• In 1995 Jim Root joined (now is part of Slipknot)

• Stone Sour was complete in 1996

Members

• Corey Taylor- Lead vocals; rhythm guitar; piano

• Shawn Economaki- bass guitar• Jim Root- lead guitar; keyboards• Josh Rand- rhythm guitar• Roy Mayorga- drums; percussion

Music/Awards

• 2002-2003– Josh Rand joined– Band recorded “Stone Sour” album in Cedar Falls

• Charted #46 on the Billboard 200

– “Bother” featured on the “Spider Man” soundtrack and sung by Corey Taylor http://youtu.be/Q-pXD0FXLQ8

• Reached #2 on Mainstream Rock Chart, #4 on Modern Rock Tracks, and #56 on Billboard Hot 100

• 3 Grammy Award nominations for Best Metal Performance– “Get Inside” 2003– “Inhale” 2004– “30/30-150” 2006

Nate Ruess

Early Years

• Born Feb. 26, 1982• Born in Iowa City, IA• Moved to Arizona in 1986 due to

repeated bouts of pneumonia he battled as a child

• Pursued music after graduating high school in 2000

Early Years continued

• “I'm not one to take lessons, so I decided that the only way I was going to learn how to sing, if what they were saying was true, was to go in my car and put on any sort of music from a vocalist that might be really hard to mimic, turn it on as loud as possible and try to hit all those notes.” - Nate Ruess

Bands

• In 1998, was vocalist of Nevergonnascore, a punk band

• In 2001, Nate created the band The Format with his friend Sam Means

• In 2008, he created the band Fun.– Jack Antonoff of Steel Train and Andrew

Dost of Anathallo

Music/Awards

• “We Are Young” (2011) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JhbW6mCshLw

– Received #1 on Billboard Hot 100 in 2012– Fun. won a Grammy on Feb. 10, 2013, for

this song

• “Some Nights” (2012) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qQkBeOisNM0&playnext=1&list=PLC4F49D02F9D2F3D0

– Reached #3 on Billboard Hot 100 and #1 on Alternative Songs chart

• “Carry On” (2012) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v

=J-y74YPjTiw